Stadium Singing

So every Sunday evening there's an event called stadium singing. Because I wasn't able to go to any official memorial for the tenth anniversary of the 9-11 attacks, I thought this would be the best way to show my remembrance and support of the lives lost and changed that day. I didn't know that it would be a spontaneous choir that one joined. I thought it was something to go listen to. So I was horribly unprepared because I didn't bring my hymnal to college with me, let alone along to the stadium. But I was able to do well enough, since most of the songs were patriotic.

It was beautiful, so many people joined together singing. I don't remember all the songs we sang, but I do remember singing "Onward Christian Soldiers", "God Be With You Till We Meet Again", "America The Beautiful" "My Country 'Tis of Thee", "Battle Hymn of the Republic" "Come, Come Ye Saints" and the "Star Spangled Banner".

I think I got them all. I loved hearing "Come Come Ye Saints" because of the WWII story I associate with it now. I'll post it in the next blog. "Battle Hymn of the Republic" is always a nice one to hear as well. It was such a lovely time. The only awkward spot was meeting up with a guy I met a few days ago, he kept looking at me while I was singing, which was awkward (1) because...well... why was he looking at me? We're all here to sing, either with friends or not, but we didn't even walk here together....(2) I didn't know all the words all the time and I felt like he was scrutinizing me.

Other than that, it was a beautiful experience, even if it did catch me off guard. And before singing "The Star Spangled Banner" as the last song, we had a moment of silence. It was nice. Especially because the conductor was my roommate and I (and my mom, just a little bit) got to give input for song and song order. Pretty cool!